Early childhood
Early childhood programs in Virginia public schools provide a foundation for learning and academic success. School-readiness activities focus on phonological awareness, vocabulary, number sense and physical, motor and social development.
Virginia Preschool Initiative
The Virginia Preschool Initiative distributes state funds to schools and community-based organizations to provide quality preschool programs for at-risk four-year olds unserved by Head Start.
- Superintendent's Memo # 116-11, April 22, 2011 – Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) Web-based Data Collection and Application Requirements for Fiscal Year 2012 (July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2012)
- 2012 Appropriation Act Language (PDF)
- Virginia Preschool Initiative Guidelines (PDF)
- Instructions for Completing the Application (PDF)
School Readiness
School readiness describes the capabilities of children, families, schools and communities that promote student success in kindergarten and beyond. Each component plays an essential role in the development of school readiness.
Early Reading First 
The Early Reading First Program supports the development of early childhood centers of excellence that focus on all areas of development, especially on the early language, cognitive and pre-reading skills that prepare children for continued school success and that serve primarily children from low-income families.
Even Start Family Literacy Program
The William F. Goodling Even Start Family Literacy Program is a federally funded program designed to improve the academic achievement of young children and their parents, especially in the area of reading.
Resources
- Virginia Foundation Blocks for Early Learning: Comprehensive Standards for Four-Year-Olds (PDF)
Virginia's Foundation Blocks – Comprehensive Standards for Four-Year-Olds describes specific indicators for pre-kindergarten children in the content areas of reading and mathematics. - Preschool Curriculum Review Rubric and Planning Tool (PDF)
Outside Resources
- Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS)
- Early Childhood Initiatives – Information on Start Strong, Smart Beginnings and the Governor's Working Group on Early Childhood Initiatives.
- Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement (CIERA) – The national center for research on early reading, representing a consortium of educators from five universities.
- School Bus Transportation of Pre-School-Aged Children from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Data Collection & Reporting
- For details on data collection and reporting, see Early Childhood Data Collection
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